Make staying at home sweeter
FOR MOST FIRST-years, starting university means moving to a new city and living away from home for the first time. But not all students move away for their post-secondary studies; some decide to go to university while living at home. Though there are tons of advantages to staying home, most frosh advice is geared toward first years who’ve moved away. It’s hardly fair that the rest get ignored! Here’s some advice for froshies still living at home from someone who was in your shoes a couple years ago.
Attend 101 Week
Take advantage of this opportunity to meet new people in your program, introduce yourself to some of your future professors, and sign up for the information sessions that will help you transition from high school into university with ease.
Join a club
If you don’t meet that many people during 101 Week or didn’t have the opportunity to attend it, don’t worry. One of the best ways to avoid feeling lonely and isolated while living at home is to join a club. Campus clubs offer an awesome environment to make friends with common interests. There are a variety of clubs on campus including academic, philanthropic, and cultural clubs. Make sure to attend the Clubs Carnival on Sept. 8 and 9 where you can meet the club organizers and learn about what each group has to offer—there’s something for everyone.
Establish boundaries with your parents
One of the more difficult aspects of starting university and living at home is that your parents may still treat you the same way they did when you were in high school. While you need to remain respectful and remember you are living under their roof and must abide by their rules, speak to your parents and tell them how you feel. Kindly let them know you’re an adult now and can handle being treated like one. Also, don’t come home trashed at 6 a.m. every night, waking everyone up. It won’t help your case.
Take advantage of your long commute
If you live far enough off campus, why don’t you be productive and use the bus ride into school to catch up on your readings or go over your notes? Instead of idly listening to music twice a day, five days a week, try to be productive and understand that elusive philosophical theory or difficult math equation.
Try to get a job on campus
An on-campus job will help you to not only stay connected with what’s happening on campus and make some extra money, but it will also take away the burden of bussing all the way to work from campus. Check out Sass.uottawa.ca for job postings.
—Sofia Hashi
